Save the Atlantic Forest

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By kiwimeg

Why do we need to Save the Atlantic Forest?

The Atlantic Forest is found on Brazil's eastern seaboard. It is estimated that originally it made up some 14% of the land area of Brazil. Sadly, in 2008 it makes up only 1.4%. In fact, according to the Nature Conservancy, the Atlantic Forest is considered to be the world's most endangered tropical forest.

Most of the deforestation has taken place in only the last 100 years. The trees have been cut down for timber, and to clear the land for farming. Only 7% of the forest is still well preserved, and even that small percentage is highly fragmented.

Unfortunately for the Atlantic Forest, Brazil's eastern seaboard is also the main site for both population and industry. The huge cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are both located here. And this area accounts for approximately 70% of Brazil's population and around 80% of Brazil's gross domestic product.

So why do we need to support efforts to preserve the Atlantic Forest?

The Atlantic Forest is a biodiversity hotspot. It is incredibly rich in flora and fauna. 40% of plants, 27% of mammals, 38% of freshwater fish and an amazing 61% of all amphibians found there are not found anywhere else. Just think of what we will lose if we lose this incredible habitat. Just imagine what we have lost already.

60% of all Brazil's threatened species live in the Atlantic Forest. Populations have been separated as the forest is fragmented. By supporting reforestation projects, we are supporting the re-creation of habitat for threatened species and ensuring their continued survival.

Fresh clean water is becoming an increasingly rare and precious resource the world over. In Brazil, the conversion of the Atlantic Forest into pasture around the city of Sao Paulo has affected both the quantity and quality of water supplying the city. In fact, the destruction of the Atlantic Forest negatively affects the water supply to about 70% of the country's population.

Rainforest Movie: Atlantic Forest, Brazil

What You can Do to Save the Atlantic Forest

Support grass roots efforts to restore the Atlantic Forest. Groups such as SALVEASERRA and their Trees and Education project are a great place to start. Or you can join in the Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees campaign. Donate if you can, but simply raising awareness and spreading the word can make a huge difference.

Illegal logging is still a huge contributor to the deforestation of this area. When buying timber or timber products, do your homework first. Find out where it comes from and how it is grown. If you can't be sure that it doesn't come from the Rainforest, don't buy it.

The Atlantic Forest has been cleared to grow beef and soya beans. Know where your food comes from and how it is grown. The easiest way to make sure you are not harming the rainforest is to eat locally grown food that you know is grown in a sustainable, earth friendly way.

Despite the massive destruction of the Atlantic Forest to date, it can be saved. We all need to do our part. Spread the word!


Project Updates from SALVEASERRA

  • Addition to last March project update.

    Dear donor and project friend. This report is an addition to our recent March project update to show you on a slideshow the last school group that came to the Serra da Concordia Wildlife Sanctuary to spend “A Day in the Forest”, our ecological guided trail environmental educational program. Enjoy this mountain tour as the students did. https://picasaweb.google.com/110709315454919422487/ADayInTheForestForMunicipalSchoolFernandoOCastroValencaRioDeJaneiroBrazil?authkey=Gv1sRgCIvjk5Xg5-WGag And please be sure that all this is possible only because of your donations. Thank you very much. Roberto LamegoLinks:Last school group that came for "A Day in the Forest" ecotour. - 5 weeks ago

  • Project update March 2012

    Old house.Dear donors. Project “Trees and Education Protect the Atlantic Rainforest” is happy to share this information with donors and project friends. With the Neutrogena donation, project 'Trees and Education Protect Rainforest in Brazil' surpassed its original funding goal of $60.000, it was considered fully funded. A new funding goal was needed and the project budget was increased to $200.000 in order to maintain this project in GlobalGiving site and to continue to do the activities listed in the project’s page. So, “Trees and Education Protect the Atlantic Rainforest” has a new funding goal of $200.000. This project has already received through GlobalGiving since it started in 2006 around $105,000 and we expect to raise the remaining $95,000 in the next 5 years.   Since this project began we have already spent $37.000 in several activities and there is $24.000 in the bank, as a reserve to be used when needed. Project’s Budget for 2012 is of $44.000 Build a Visitor Centre: $ 23.255 Equipments and furniture for Visitor Centre: $ 3.488 Bus rental for student’s transportation: $ 5.087 Educational DVDs: $ 1.162 Folders and brochures: $ 1.744 Hire a Permaculture technical advisor: $ 2.441 Saplings: $ 6.976 Total: $44.156 We are only considering expenses paid with donations funds. Most other project expenses, as salaries, petrol, etc., are paid by SALVEASERRA. These new donations are already influencing greatly the development of SALVEASERRA - NGO and enlarging its horizons of future activities. As you know, project has two main objectives that are: 1. The educational “Day in the Forest” ecological trekking, with schools and groups visiting an Atlantic Rainforest protection area and 2. The CETAR Agroforestry project created in 1995 to demonstrate agroforestry systems planting methods. These donations will make possible to 1. Professionalize our local operations in Valença, Rio de Janeiro State and expand them to two other neighboring counties, Rio das Flores and Barra do Pirai allowing us to increase considerably the number of student we receive every month and 2. Facilitate the creation of a Regional Center of Excellence in Agroforestry, produce more saplings, and increase and ameliorate the plantation areas of trees, palm trees and fruit trees. These grants will also enable us to produce a good quality educational support material, new brochures and DVDs. Since last December update we continued our activities but in a slower way, because of students holidays, and as we had to rebuild our little house that was in very bad shape, almost falling and very dangerous for the workers that lived there. Now we have a new and very nice house, big enough to shelter and house students and visitors while we build the new Visitors Centre, that already started be built. Please see attached several pictures of the old and new house, the old visitor’s center and construction of new one, of Serra da Concórdia Wildlife Sanctuary visitors, from some students of a new school we are working with and that is going to do the “Day in the Forest” next week, from the 167 saplings this project bought from Antonio, that received a tree nursery from our other GlobalGiving project and from the tree nursery were we produced many and bought 1100 saplings this year. Please accept my sincere thanks for your help and support. Roberto Lamego  New house. Old visitor centre. Inside old visitor centre. Visitor Center will be here. House in the back. New Center will be 10 metres X 9.5 metres. Students from Varginha school. Preparing to go to A Day in the Forest ecotekking. Videos and films to show the environment. Sandra. School director. Our vegetable garden project will begin one here. 2012 Walk in the Nature event. 12 km. 67 walkers. 2012 Walk in the Nature event. In a hot day a good shower. The mountain stream. A photo before walking back the trail. Tree nursery project gave one to Antonio. This project brought 167 saplings from him. Antonio's saplings going to Wildlife Sanctuary. Tree nursery. We produced many and bought 1100. These will be planted late this year. - 2 months ago

  • Project report. December 2011.

    Here students come close to nature.Dear donors. First of all I want to announce that the SALVEASERRA project: “Trees and Education Protect the Atlantic Rainforest”, was the Environment category winner of the 2011 Wave of Change campaign run by the Neutrogena cosmetics company. This was really great and rare opportunity for us and with this big donation we can make plans for the next 4 years, expand our operations to 2 or 3 neighboring counties, receive more groups monthly, hire guides and teachers to help us and provide visitor with information leaflets and DVDs on the Atlantic Rainforest and agroforestry techniques. With this new donation we can also make plans to increase the reforestation of our areas and the development of the agroforestry demonstration plots. We are planning to plant 5000 trees per year. Here the Neutrogena campaign site: http://www.neutrogena.com/category/wave%2Bfor%2Bchange.do We would also like to inform you that from GlobalGiving Gift Card Challenge we are going to receive a bonus grant donation to plant 800 trees in the rainforest of Concordia Mountains Wildlife Sanctuary. http://www.globalgiving.org/gifts/?rf=fb. This is the perfect right time because the planting season starts now. We continue with our activities as you will see in attached pictures and links.  There are pictures of students visiting the Wildlife Sanctuary, of lectures and presentations to prepare new students to participate of the “Day in the Forest” ecological trail, of the acquisition and delivery of seedlings and of a research team from the Ministry of Agriculture inspecting forest experiments plots they have there with us since 2000. Link 1: Slideshow of a student’s visit to Concordia Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. You will also see some pictures of a group of bat researchers that come regularly to our area where they have found more than 30 different species of bats. Link 2: In this TV video show you will see our deforested mountainous Atlantic Rainforest region during the dry and incendiary period, the Wildlife Sanctuary and a bit of my work. In Portuguese. Link 3: Newspaper article with interview on agroforestry and organic agriculture. In Portuguese. As you see, with your help, things are going well and we have great plans for the next years. Please accept my sincere thanks. Roberto Lamego Ruins of old coffee farm aqueduct. Students preparing to leave Wildlife Sanctuary. Slideshow for school going to "Day in the Forest" Lecture in another school. Students listen attentively. First lot of 500 tree seedlings. Coffee seedling for agroforestry plantation. Three species Palm trees for this year plantation. Ministry of Agriculture agroforest experiment. 3500 trees of different species planted in 2000. Mesuring experiment parcels and counting trees.Links:"A Day in the Forest' ecotrail. Valenca city school visiting SerTV Show. See our deforested region and my work. In Portuguese.Newspaper article on agroforestry and organic agriculture. - 5 months ago

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